Next TPP Negotiation Session Has Only 3 Hours Allotted For Negotiators To Talk To Public Interest Advocates

from the no-time-for-the-public dept

The USTR's handling of public interest access to TPP negotiators has bounced around over the last few negotiating sessions, with many suggesting that last months' meetings in San Diego were actually handled somewhat decently. However, with the upcoming negotiating round in Virginia, apparently there's no more time to be talking to anyone representing the public interest. The oddly named "Direct Stakeholder Engagement" period is from 11am to 2pm on Sunday, September 9th and that's it. So not only have they reduced the length from previous sessions, but they put it at the same time as lunch. So if these groups actually want to talk to negotiators, they might want to serve some food... Either way, it really feels like the whole "stakeholders" sessions are just the USTR's way of saying "see? we're letting people in!" But, of course, that's completely different from real transparency.

Reader Comments

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@ #8

shame that things are moving so slowly. the courts have now forced Virgin to block Newzbin2 now. no one seems to be interested in getting politicians to do the job they were elected to do, ie, looking after everybody. all governments and courts are interested in is looking after the companies that pays them the biggest bribes!